Patient Related Outcome Measures (May 2020)
The Relationship Between Health Literacy Level and Self-Care Behaviors in Patients with Diabetes
Abstract
Davood RobatSarpooshi,1 Mehrsadat Mahdizadeh,2 Hadi Alizadeh Siuki,3 Mohammad Haddadi,4 Hamid Robatsarpooshi,5 Nooshin Peyman2 1Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Student Research Committee, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Masshad, Iran; 2Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; 3Department of Public Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran; 4Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran; 5Department of Nursing, Tabas Branch Islamic Azad University, Tabas, IranCorrespondence: Nooshin PeymanDepartment of Health Promotion and Education, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IranTel +98 51 3854 4643Fax +98 51 3851 7505 Email [email protected]: The most important factor in controlling diabetes is self-care behaviors; improving self-care behaviors is the first step in helping patients to better control and manage their diseases and health literacy is recognized as a vital and important indicator of outcomes and costs in healthcare. Therefore, the effectiveness of health-care systems requires that people have the desirable health literacy level. Therefore, this research intended to study the relationship between health literacy levels in patients with diabetes and their self-care behaviors.Patients and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted during two months on 400 patients with diabetes selected using the census method in diabetes clinics in Mashhad County. Information was collected through a demographic survey questionnaire, the Health Literacy Questionnaire and a self-care behavior questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 21 and Spearman correlation coefficient, the independent t-test, and ANOVA.Results: The total mean score for self-care was 33.52 (SD± 13.27). There was a significant relationship between self-care and health literacy in this study (P < 0.05) so that people with higher levels of self-care literacy had better self-care behaviors. There was also a significant relationship between education level and monthly income and self-care behaviors and health literacy (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Patients received an average score for self-care behaviors. Given the impact of health literacy on patients’ self-care behaviors, and considering its inclusion in educational, therapeutic, and caregiver programs, it is possible to reduce complications in patients, and improve their quality of life, by improving their self-care behaviors. Special attention should also be paid to health literacy levels of the audience when designing the related educational programs.Keywords: health literacy, diabetes, self-care
